India Off Road: A Guide to SUV’s in India

The Economy boom in India has given rise to changing lifestyles of the yuppies and the oldies alike. People seem to be going with bigger and better when it comes to family cars. Traveling and outings during weekends is also becoming a growing trend. So what better than a Utility Vehicle especially when it comes to Indian Roads and off Roads? In these cases Sport Utility Vehicles or SUV’s come to the rescue with their spacious interiors and rugged exteriors, making them the perfect choice for those road trips and family excursions!

Here’s a Guide to the SUV’s available in the Indian Market today

Tata Safari Dicor

The Tata Safari was launched a decade ago to the Indian market. The Tata Safari with it’s slightly puffed yet elegant body and comfortable interiors became the darling of the young middle class urban elite. Tata Motors recently launched a new range of Tata Safari, with a new look, equipped with an indigenously developed Direct Injection Common Rail (DICOR) engine. It also comes in eight trims and two drive configurations, front-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive. It comes with two engine options: a 2.2L VTT diesel that churns out 138 bhp and 2.0L MPFI petrol that produces 125 bhp. Estimated fuel economy is 9/13 km/l (city/highway). It is furnished with a height-adjustable driver’s seat, power windows, a climate control system, and a tilt power steering. The introduction of video screens in the headrest has been a unique option in the new Safari. Rear-seated passengers can now relax as they watch a DVD. Tata has loaded the Safari with several other thoughtful details, which generally come in SUVs double the price.Price Range: (ex-showroom Mumbai)Rs. 6,37,860.00 – 13,07,000.00

Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara

After having established itself as an undisputable leader in the small car segment, Maruti Suzuki has set foot in the SUV market with the launch of Grand Vitara. The new Grand Vitara from Suzuki has been given a facelift and an extra thrust of power, within months of its launch. This SUV comes to India with a single petrol engine option, a 5-seater configuration, and an enthralling exterior design that resembles the Honda CR-V. The gutsy 2.0L VIS Inline-4 petrol engine churns out 119.5 bhp and is linked to either a 5-speed manual transmission or a 4-speed automatic transmission. An all-wheel-drive configuration is standard and the estimated fuel economy is 7/9 km/l (city/highway). The appeal of the Grand Vitara is enhanced by the more contemporary front it has just got. The most notable changes is the headlamps which are in unison with the wider body coloured front grille which gives it the slick looks. These new features have given the Grand Vitara the aggressive power-look.Price Range: (Ex-showroom Mumbai)Rs. 14,85,000.00 – 17,67,000.00

Ford Endeavour

Struggling to cope with the new Globalised competition, Ford was not to lag behind others while vying for the Indian pie. The Ford Endeavour build at Ford’s Chennai Plant, is a seven seater giant of an SUV with world class design and engineering, optimized for family use. It offers a combination of SUV looks, handling and performance, with a commanding road presence. The car comes with a common 2.5L turbocharged diesel VGT Inline-4 engine which generates 141 bhp and is propelled by a 5-speed manual transmission. The only difference between the two available variants is the drive configuration, which is rear-wheel-drive (RWD) for one and all-wheel-drive (AWD) for the other. The car comes with alloy wheels and tubeless tyres. The estimated fuel economy of the car is 7/10 km/l (city/highway).Price Range: (Ex-showroom Mumbai)Rs. 18,60,000.00 – 20,46,000.00

Mahindra Scorpio

Keeping in tradition with decades of supplying general purpose vehicles to the Indian people, Mahindra decided to launch an SUV called Mahindra Scorpio. This SUV became an instant hit and created a wave of enthusiasm among young professionals. The Scorpio comes with a 2.6L turbocharged Inline-4 diesel engine that generates 115 bhp. A new variant addition in 2008 is that of the VLX, which comes with a 2.2L mHawk aluminium CRDe Inline-4 engine that churns out 120 bhp and is easily the cream of the crop. All engines are coupled to a 5-speed manual transmission. All-wheel-drive (AWD) and two-wheel-drive (2WD) configuration options are provided for all variants. The estimated fuel economy for Scorpio is 9/14 km/l (city/highway). With the induction of the Common Rail Diesel Engine (CDRe) variant, the Mahindra stable has stayed in league with the current technologies and kept in step with the market demand in the MUV/SUV segment.Price Range: (Ex-showroom Mumbai)Rs. 7,95,000.00 – 9,79,000.00

Nissan X-Trail

Nissan jumped into the Indian SUV tide with its X-TRAIL. The X-TRAIL comes with a 2.2L Turbo Inline-4 diesel engine that generates 136 bhp and is coupled to a 6-speed manual transmission. This all-wheel-drive SUV has an estimated fuel economy of 12/16 km/l (city/highway). Its instrument cluster has been placed right in the centre of the dashboard. The Elegance variant comes with a sunroof to enjoy a night time long drive.Price Range: (Ex-showroom Mumbai)Rs. 21,50,000.00 – 29,40,000.00

Hyundai Tucson

Hyundai Tucson is the first premium SUV from the Korean manufacturer HMIL. This compact 5-seater offers a chunky SUV presence, a diesel engine, sprightly performance, spacious interiors, and easy handling. The Tucson is powered by a 2.0-litre turbocharged CRDi Inline-4 diesel engine that produces 112 bhp and combines the performance of a diesel motor and the refinement of a petrol motor. A 5-speed manual transmission and an all-wheel-drive configuration deliver a smooth and dynamic performance. The estimated fuel economy is 9/14 km/l (city/highway).Price Range:(Ex-showroom Mumbai)Rs. 16,95,000.00 – 19,84,000.00

Honda CR-V

The Honda CR-V is one of the bestselling SUVs in India. The CR-V promises its customers fascinating comforts of a sedan and the strength of an SUV. Honda’s creative and undaunted real-time all-wheel-drive (AWD) system supplies a front-wheel-drive (FWD) operation in normal circumstances levering (change) to AWD whenever required, depending on driving conditions. This mid-sized SUV comes with a single 2.4L i-VTEC Inline-4 engine option that produces 161 bhp. This engine comes with two transmission options: a 6-speed manual transmission and a 5-speed automatic transmission that provide an estimated fuel economy of 8/10 km/l (city/highway).Price Range:(Ex-showroom Mumbai)Rs. 14,63,827.00 – 23,79,000.00

Mitsubishi Pajero

One of the world’s best known SUV’s is now in India with its latest design features. The new all monocoque 16 valve direct injection engine 3.2L Pajero is among the world’s most powerful vehicles today on the Indian roads. The Pajero is a great performer on and off the road, and its power and majestic presence is something that has to be experienced. The Pajero comes in a single variant with a 2.8L turbocharged Inline-4 diesel engine that churns out 117 bhp and is coupled to a 5-speed manual transmission. The Pajero also has height-adjustable driver seat, ABS brakes, and climate control. This all-wheel-drive vehicle has an estimated fuel economy of 8/11 km/l (city/highway).Price Range:(Ex-showroom Mumbai)Rs. 19,67,000.00 – 21,86,000.00

Toyota Land Cruiser Prado

The name Land Cruiser has today become a generic term for an off road vehicle, in many places the world over, thanks to the wide popularity of Toyota’s Land Cruiser. It today symbolises, the Cruiser’s almost legendary toughness, being used on the toughest terrains and in the most challenging climates around the world. This petrol-fed stunning SUV is available only in a single variant in India that comes with a very powerful 232 bhp, 4.0-litre VVT-i V-6 engine. This engine is coupled to a 5-speed automatic transmission and an all-wheel-drive configuration. The Prado is the largest and the most powerful SUV on Indian roads and comes with all the latest technologies available only in luxury cars; including the Electronic Modulated Suspension that Toyota is recognized for. The estimated fuel economy is 6/8 km/l (city/highway).Price Range:(Ex-showroom Mumbai)Rs. 41,62,000.00 – 48,28,000.00

BMW X5

After the BMW X3 weaved a super success story in India, the auto major brought the new second-generation X5 to the Indian market. The new car is better than its predecessor for off-road purposes. The BMW X5 is more focused on driving dynamics and is powered by a 3.0-litre Inline-6 diesel engine that generates 218 bhp. A 6-speed automatic transmission is standard along with an all-wheel-drive configuration. The estimated fuel economy is 9/14 km/l (city/highway).Price Range:(Ex-showroom Mumbai)Rs. 66,90,000.00 – 94,96,000.00

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